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Annual Report

July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016

Prepared by

David J. Goa, Director, & Catherine Caufield, Associate Director

Program Summary

Throughout this year the Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life has

continued its regular schedule of events working across the academy, the public square, and within

religious communities.

Our work on the “Spirit of the Land” project continued to develop as did our partnership with

the International Rumi Centre for the Study of Civilization, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya,

Turkey, on public religion and the civil life in democratic societies. We were pleased to have

Norman Wizba, Professor of Theology, Ecology and Agrarian Studies, Duke Divinity School, give

the Augustana Distinguished Lecture and engage students in a number of classes.

Our work shaping the International Fellows of the Ronning Centre, as well as the Research

Associates, Practice Associates, Junior Fellows and Interns, continued to develop through the fine

work of our new Associate Director Catherine Caufield.

We worked with Dean Allen Berger to bring a series of distinguished professors to Augustana

to both lecture and consult with his leadership transition committee and consider the

interdisciplinary work of the Ronning Centre in the academy, the public square and with religious

communities, drawing on major leaders in their fields who thoughtfully reflect and act at the

boundaries of religion and law, healthcare, education, governance, and the media.

The dean used this opportunity to consider the future shape of the Ronning Centre as we

move toward the second generation of leadership. The Centre supported these efforts by providing

Dean Berger and his committee with several feasible infrastructure scenarios for solidifying and

continuing the collaborative work of the Centre within the academy, a broad range of religious

communities, and civil domains over the past decade, as well for as deepening and expanding this

inter-sectoral work.

The broad interest in the focus and quality of the Centre’s work was apparent when we were

invited to speak to the University of Alberta Senate on the Centre’s mandate and university

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education, shaped a workshop on leadership for the caucus of the Provincial Government during a

time of crisis, and, develop workshops for the students of the Peter Lougheed Leadership College

of the University of Alberta on “engaging difference in a pluralistic society” and for the Bethany

Group on physician assisted dying.

Our key partners in the work of the last year include:

Aboriginal Students Office, Augustana

Ahmadiyya Association of Edmonton

All Saints Monastery of North America, BC

BC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

Bethany Group Board, Camrose

Burman University, Lacombe

Camrose and District Hospice Society

Camrose Church of God

Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute

Cardus

City of Toronto

Central Lions Seniors Association, Edmonton

Centre for Alternative Medicine and Health, University of Alberta

Concordia University College

Corrections Canada

ECMC Chair in Islamic Studies, UofA

Departrment of Fine Art, UofA

Department of Philosophy, UofA

Department of Political Science, UofA

Department of Political Science, University of Lethbridge

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, UofA

Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action

Faculty of Law, University of Alberta

Faculty of Theology and Social Science and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University,

Konya, Turkey

Hindu Society of Alberta, Edmonton

Hospice Society of Camrose & District

House of Bishops, Anglican Church of Canada

Humanities Department, Augustana

Institute of Ismaili Studies, London

Intercultural Dialogue Institute

Ismaili Association of Edmonton

Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture, Istanbul, Turkey

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

Kings University College, Edmonton

Lendrum Mennonite Brethren Church, Edmonton

Maskwacis Cultural College

Messiah Lutheran Church, Camrose

Rumi Centre for the Study of Civilization, Necmettin Erbakan University,Konya,Turkey

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Nevsehir Haci Bektas Universitesi, Nevsehir, Turkey

Office of Diplomacy, London

Orthodox Peace Fellowship of Canada

Osgoode Hall, York University, Toronto

Peter Lougheed Leadership College, UofA

Prison Fellowship International

Religious Studies Program, University of Alberta

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton

Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut

Social Science Department, Augustana

St. Francis Roman Catholic Church

St. Joseph’s College, UofA

St. Stephen’s College, Edmonton

Steeps Urban Tea House, Edmonton

Synod of Bishops, ELCIC

The British Columbia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)

Trinity Lutheran Church, Edmonton

University of the Frazer Valley, BC

Department of Religious Studies, University of Toronto

Vancouver School of Theology

Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario

Each of the Centre’s events is noted below along with work we have done with other

organizations. I have placed in square brackets, following the event, the length of time and the

number of people who attended. For example: the lecture and discussion was 1.5 hours and 35

attended [1.5/35]. We then calculate our teaching hours as noted in the summary below.

Statistics of Note 2015-2016

Number of Ronning Centre events 75

Total attendance: 3,3408

Number of teaching hours 6,698

Publications (books, newsletters, articles) 12

Media (interviews, consultations) 10

Ronning Centre Annual Fund (550 account) $ 67,290.70

Distinguished Visiting Fellows Endowment $662,474.34

[annual available: $23,594.09 + $22,608.53 surplus]

Hendrickson Memorial Endowment $113,717.28

[annual available: $3,765.60 + $4,870.86 surplus]

Yang Internships $ 13,512.63

[annual available: $551.52 + $1,180.75]

Total: $856,994.95

Prof. Nicholas Wickenden, volunteer hours est. 120 hours 120 hours

Reiner Loewan, volunteer hours est. 60 hours 60 hours

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Centre Development & Key Initiatives

International Ronning Centre Fellows International Fellows are drawn from the three sectors in which Ronning Centre works: academy,

religious communities, civil sphere. They offer context and a depth of knowledge to enhance our

understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public life (law, healthcare,

governance, journalism, education) as well as gracious ways of engaging with strongly held

beliefs associated with local, national, and global developments that touch the core of our deepest

concerns. There are currently 28 Fellows, their profiles and areas of expertise are available on our

website. Several additions in progress.

We have shaped several projects to bring their skills as public intellectuals into a working

relationship with the media, the public, and with political leaders in Canada and abroad and are

exploring funding to also periodically bring several of them to the Augustana campus to work

with students and faculty.

We are requesting briefing papers and op-ed pieces from them to address breaking news stories

and have developed ways of broadcasting these to the media and journalists; these may be found

on the Ronning Centre website under News of Our Fellows.

International Fellows are available for student mentorship; in the coming year we will work with

Augustana faculty to select Junior Fellows from among our senior students and partner them in

appropriate areas with a suitable International Fellow.

Research and Practice Associates We welcome three new Practice Associates for 2016-2017, Odell Olson and Ina Neilson in the

area of healthcare and Richard Bruneau in diplomacy, as well as two new Research Associates

from for 2016-2017, Joe Wiebe in the area of Indigenous and Brandon Alakas in Reformation.

Each will be presenting their work as part of Ronning Centre programming in upcoming year. As

with the International Fellows, above, Research and Practice Associates are available for student

mentorship and therefore their interests will be included in the email in late August.

Ronning Centre Junior Fellows

Carlena Weber, Augustana alumna, research assistant on the project Naw'qinwixw: Métis,

Nehiyô, and Oblate Trauma Recovery on Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 Lands.

Lisa Vaughan-Farrell confirmed for 2016-17, anticipate more in response to matching

International Fellow, Research Assistant and Practice Assistant interests. This award includes at

least one public presentation of their work, integrated into Ronning Centre programming

Student Interns

Autumn MacDonald, third year Environmental Studies student, received the Yang Internship to

assist with the project Mapping the Social Architecture of Camrose.

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This endowment provides sufficient stipend for one intern, preferably of East Asian origin; we

are inundated with possibilities for 2016-17 and will be making a selection in the next couple of

weeks.

Carmelle Mohr, Ryan Lindsey, Hans Asfeldt, Geordie Nelson, Nataha Martel, and Alison

Bortolon Augustana alumnae, on the Spirit of the Land project. Their terms were completed as of

spring 2016.

The Centre has worked closely with Community Service Learning (CSL) over the past year and

anticipate one or more CSL interns to the Centre during the 2016-17 academic year.

We have also connected with Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Student Internship

Program (GSIP) funded through the Vision for Innovation in Alberta grant, and anticipate one

intern in the fall through that program.

Website Portal on Issues of Religion and Public Life

A redesigned Ronning Centre website includes a portal to a wide range of resources on numerous

issues of religions and public life. The portal is arranged by topics and we have populated it with

the current work of the Centre as well as all audio and video presentations from our decade of

work. We will profile this new research resource to Augustana students in the fall as well as

make it known to journalists, media and for the purposes of various interest groups.

Challenges for Religious Communities in Plural, Democratic Societies

The International Rumi Centre for the Study of Civilization, Necmettin Erbakan University,

Konya, Turkey and the Ronning Centre are partnering on this project. It includes a series of

workshops exploring issues related to public religion and the various ways secular societies have

been formed. Conferences and publications will flow from this work and we are building in

various ways to involve students with an eye to their capacity to become the next generation of

leaders and public intellectuals.

Chester Ronning Memorial Lecture on Religion and Diplomacy Chester Ronning Memorial Lecture on Religion and Diplomacy will be held on Chester

Ronning’s Birthday (December 13). We are honoured to have confirmed Dr. Peter Jones,

Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa;

consultant for Centre for International Policy Studies; Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow

at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University present inaugural lecture on December 13, 2016.

He served as a senior analyst for the Security and Intelligence Secretariat of the Privy Council of

Canada; various positions related to international affairs and security at the Privy Council Office,

Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Department of Defence. He is an expert on security in the

Middle East and track-two diplomacy, presently leading several track two initiatives in South

Asia and the Middle East; also widely published on Iran.

A proposal was initiated to develop this annual lectureship through various partnership (perhaps

with Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, and, The Office on Religious Freedom)

and offer it to the public in Western Canada and Ottawa.

Spirit of the Land

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Through the generosity of the Ganske fund we have had a briefing paper on various models

employed by universities in the education of students on local knowledge and sense of place and

re-skilling their relationship to sustainable agriculture and food security. We have also explored

how these themes may be engendered in the high school curriculum in the region of Camrose.

Along with planning a conference in November we have several student researchers continuing to

establish the foundations for moving this type of student engagement ahead at Augustana.

For the Healing of the Whole Person: Medicine and Spirituality

We have partnered with several units of the University of Alberta under the lead of Prof. Suzette

Bremault-Phillips, Rehabilitation Medicine. Our planning group includes a prestigious scholars,

scientists, medical professionals and theologians including Harold Koenig, Bernard McGinn,

Donna Dobrowolsky, Carol Weingarten, Fr. Andriy Chirovsky, and Thomas Plante.

Ronning Centre Consultations

26 November 2015

“Thinking About Physician Assisted Dying”, an invited lecture, David J. Goa, for the Board of

the Bethany Group, Camrose. [1/12=12]

12 March 2016

“The Art of Engaging Difference: Discernment of Gifts and Needs”, an invited day-long

workshop by David Goa, Peter Lougheed Leadership College. The Honourable Verlyn Olson, Dr.

Ghada Ageel and Dr. Valerie Lapointe-Gagnon joined in the workshop. North Campus, UofA,

Edmonton. [7.5/52=390]

4-5 April

“The Christian Responsibility to Muslims”, David J. Goa, an invited two-day workshop for the

Anglican House of Bishops and the Synod of Bishops, ELCIC, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

[8/43=344]

7 April 2016

“Physician Assisted Dying: Law, Culture and Our Responsibility”, David J. Goa, an invited

workshop for The Bethany Group, cosponsored with the Ronning Centre and Camrose and

District Hospice Society. Camrose. [5/84=420]

Ronning Centre in the Classroom

July 2013 - continuous

David Goa, thesis supervisor for Nola Sharp, Master of Psychotherapy and Spirituality, Saint

Stephen’s College, University of Alberta. Expected completion, 2016.

August – January 2016

Ethics in World Religions (SSC513), Saint Stephen’s College, reading course for David Faver

taught by David Goa. [5x3=15]

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August – January 2016

Special Topics in Diversity: Faith and Culture (SSC547), Saint Stephen’s College, reading course

for Wenda Salomons taught by David Goa. [5x3=15]

23 September

“Art, Religion and the Museum as Encounter with Meaning”, an invited lecture, David J. Goa,

for Prof Joan Greer’s Art History 455/555 course, University of Alberta. [1.5/8=12]

8 October

“Confession of an Artist”, Betty Spackman, Chapel, The King’s University. [1/85=85]

9 October

“Confession of an Artist” and “Found Wanting”, Betty Spackman, in Daniel van Heyst’s mixed

media lab, Art 210, The King’s University. [3/24=72]

14 October

“Cahiliyye, Muhammad, and the Modern Mind”, David Goa, an invited lecture in Prof. Dogan’s

course, “The Life of the Prophet”, Nevsehir Haci Bektas Universitesi. [3/74=222]

15 October

“Cahiliyye, Muhammad and the Modern Mind”, David Goa, an invited lecture in Prof. Dogan’s

course, “The Life of the Prophet”, Nevsehir Haci Bektas Universitesi. [3/72= 216]

16 October

“Geography and Culture: The Peculiar Case of Alberta”, David Goa, an invited lecture in Prof.

Ali Meydan’s course, Geography and Turkish Culture, Nevsehir Haci Bektas Universitesi.

[1.5/46=69]

12 November

“Eating our Way to Peace”, Norman Wirzba, AUREL 263, Augustana. [1.5/70=105]

“Table Manners”, Norman Wirzba, AUREL 271/IDS 286/386, Augustana. [2/50=100]

13 November

“Eating our Way to Peace”, Norman Wirzba, The King’s University, Edmonton. [1.5/45=67.5]

“Agrarian Human Nature”, Norman Wirzba, AUREL 251, Augustana. [1.5/41=61.5]

20 November

“An Open Conversation on Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis’

Encyclical Letter on ecology, David Goa, St. Francis Roman Catholic Church, for the course

AUREL 271/ IDS 286/386. [1.5/52=76]

26 January 2016

“Practicing ‘Decolonial Love’: Damages, Relations, Truth and Telling”, Dian Million, Professor,

American Indian Studies, University of Washington. Maskwacis Cultural College, Maskwacis

[2/50=50 students and staff]

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“Practicing ‘Decolonial Love’: Damages, Relations, Truth and Telling”, Dian Million, Professor,

American Indian Studies, University of Washington. Wahkotowin Lodge, Augustana campus,

UofA [1/30=30 students plus 10 members of the public]

28 January

Dian Million lectured in Roxanne Harde’s AUENG 292: Feminist Literary Theory and Women's

Writing [8 students and 2 guests]

Dian Million lectured in Janet Wesselius’ AUPHI 210: Theories of Knowledge [18 students]

Dian Million lectured in Jérôme Melançon’s AUPOL 221: Canadian National Government and

Politics [18 students]

4 May

Nevsehir Havi Bektas Veli Universitesi, Nevsehir, Turkey

“Religion and Modern Culture”, an invited lecture by David J. Goa, in “History of Religions”

class, Tourism Faculty. [3/44=132]

“The Memory of English Words”, an invited lecture by David J. Goa in “English Language”

course, 3rd year, class of Professor Ercan Kacmz. Tourism Faculty. [3/56=168]

Grants and Project Funding

1. The Ganske Fund was established to support the development of the Spirit of the Land project.

2. Website development grant is being prepared and will be submitted to the CIP grant program

of the provincial government. This grant program may also be used in our international work

with universities in Turkey.

3. “The Lutheran Contributions to Public Life”, a series of lectures commemorating the

Reformation and offered in both the university context and in selected Lutheran churches.

Grant application in preparation for the Lutheran Triune Education and Benevolent Society

fund, ELCIC. Our intention is to bring scholars associated with the work of Ronning Centre

including Dittmar Mundel, Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Cam Harder, Franz Wolker Greifenhagen,

Ray Schultz, Martin Moser, and, David Goa. Grant will be submitted before October 15th.

4. The Chester Ronning Memorial Lecture on Religion and Diplomacy. Grant funding is being

explored through the Office of Religious Freedom, Government of Canada and with members

of the Ronning family.

5. “Civic Virtues and Civil Charters: Creating Respectful Communities in a Divided World”, a

project proposal submitted to the John Templeton Foundation by Ronning Centre Fellow, Iain

Benson. We have worked with Professor Benson on this initiative and will be exploring

additional grant funding particularly for the Canadian and Turkish aspects of this proposal.

6. “Spirited Citizenship: Faith Communities and the Common Good”, SSHRC Grant application.

We partnered on this application with numerous other agencies.

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7. Shell Grant, University of Alberta, $1000 for support of a students work on SOL.

8. KIAS Dialogue Grant, $1000. University of Alberta, Kule Institute, for our work with the

Rumi Centre for the Study of Civilization.

Augustana Distinguished Lectures

12 November

“Eating our Way to Peace”, Norman Wirzba, Professor of Theology, Ecology and Agrarian

Studies, Duke Divinity School, AUREL 263, Augustana.

“Table Manners”, Norman Wirzba, AUREL 271/IDS 286/386, Augustana.

13 November

“Eating our Way to Peace”, Norman Wirzba, The King’s University, Edmonton.

“Agrarian Human Nature”, Norman Wirzba, AUREL 251, Augustana.

“Becoming Rooted in the Land”, Norman Wirzba, Faith and Life Chapel, Augustana.

Ronning Centre Conversations in the Agora (Camrose) & Philosophers’ Cafés (Edmonton)

31 July

“Care for Our Common Home”, David J. Goa, Agora, Augustana campus. [2/30=60]

16 September

“Buried. Alive.” Betty Spackman, artist of the “Found Wanting” installation, Agora, Year of the

Soil lecture, Augustana campus. [2/10=20]

23 September

“Soil and Spirit”, Symeon van Donkelaar, artist, Agora, Year of the Soil lecture, Augustana

campus. [2/12=24]

3 October

“The Challenge that Aboriginal Therapies Pose for Western Medicine”, Earle Waugh, Steep’s,

the Urban Tea House, Edmonton. [3/21=63]

17 October

“Poverty and Doing Something About It”, Gloria Chalmers and Jeff Bisanz, Steep’s, the Urban

Tea House, Edmonton. [3/25=75]

31 October

“Headliners of the World, United to Kill a Deal! Iran After the Nuclear Deal, Mojtaba Mahdavi,

Steep’s, the Urban Tea House, Edmonton. [3/30=90]

4 November

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“Remembering Palmyra: A Reflection on the Cult of Sacrifice and Human Memory,” David Goa,

Steep’s, the Urban Tea House, Edmonton. [3/40=120]

25 November

“Pluralism and Public Religion: A Partnership with Turkey”, Conversations in the Agora with

David J. Goa, Camrose. [2/14=28]

27 January 2016

“Reconciliation: The Literature of Damages, Marketability, Truth and Telling” Dian Million,

Professor, American Indian Studies, University of Washington. Conversations in the Agora,

Augustana campus, UofA. [1.5/15=22.5]

28 January

“ISIS, Islamophobia, and the Fear of the West”, David J. Goa, A Philosopher’s Café, Central

Lions Seniors Association. [1.5/52-78]

6 February

“Humans in the Glass Cage of Automation”, Martin Tweedale, Prof. Emeritus, Philosophy,

University of Alberta. Steeps, the Urban Tea House, Edmonton. [2.1/33=82.5]

10 February

“Contemplation and Action: My Journey to India”, Rajan Rathnavalu, Junior Fellow.

Conversations in the Agora, Augustana campus. [1.5/18=27]

20 February

“Steve Fuller’s Humanity 2.0”, Francis Remedios, PhD, University of Leuven. Steeps, the Urban

Tea House, Edmonton. [2.5/26=65]

25 February

“Putin’s Russia and the Rise of the Religious Right”, David J. Goa, A Philosopher’s Café,

Central Lions Seniors Association. [1.5/52=78]

2 March

“Theology of Inculturation of the Faith and the Oblate-Aboriginal Encounter in Alberta”,

Catherine Caufield, Associate Director. Conversations in the Agora, Augustana campus.

[1.5/34=51]

5 March

“Kant, Eugenics, and Human Nature”,,Alan McLuckie, Killam Post-doctoral Fellow, Philosophy,

University of Alberta. Steeps, the Urban Tea House, Edmonton. [2.5/27=67.5]

8 March

“Contemplation and Prophecy: Thomas Merton as Spiritual Icon”, Michael Higgins, Vice

President and Professor, Religious Studies, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield Connecticut.

Conversations in the Agora, Augustana campus. [1.5/22=33]

11 March

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“Physician Assisted Death: Implications of the Legal Decision,” David J. Goa, Director, CRC, A

Philosopher’s Café, Central Lions Seniors Association. [1.5/44=66]

19 March

“Are Westerners enlightened as a result of 'The Enlightenment'?”,Don Carmichael, Professor

Emeritus, Political Science, University of Alberta Steeps, the Urban Tea House, Edmonton.

[2.5/30=75]

2 April

“All things considered, the Enlightenment turned out to be irrelevant for feminists “, Rosalind

Sydie, Professor Emeritus, Sociology, University of Alberta Steeps, the Urban Tea House,

Edmonton. [2.5/34=85]

16 April

“The Wisdom of Experience versus the Hubris of Reason: A Spirited Defence of Classical

Conservatism for the Modern Age”, Tony Simmons, Associate Professor of Sociology,

Athabasca University Steeps, the Urban Tea House, Edmonton. [2.5/38=95]

Conferences

20 July

“Listening to Muslims in the Face of Religious Terror”, an invited lecture by David J. Goa and

Volker Greifenhagen, North American Interfaith Association bi-annual conference, University of

Regina. [1.5/70=105]

25-27 September

Beyond Moments of Euphoria and Middle East Exceptionalism: Social Movements and

Democratic Consilidation in MENA Region”, an interdisciplinary and comparative conference to

be held in the Fall 2015. David Goa joined the planning committee at the request of Professors

Allam and Mahdavi, Political Science, UofA north campus. Ronning Centre is a partner.

David Goa, chair for keynote, “Reformist Islam, Gender, and the Question of Authority”, Amina

Wadud [1.5/71=107]

David J. Goa, chair for panel with Professors Herfeh, Yahya, Bilgili. [1/34=34]

1 October

“The Spiritual Dimensions of Death and Dying”, an invited lecture by David J. Goa. Being With

Dying conference of the Camrose and District Hospice Society. [1.5/87= 130.5]

8-11 October

International Symposium on Time in Islamic Civilization, Necmettin Erbakan Universitesi,

Konya, Turkey.

“The Time of the Kingdom: An Eastern Christian Perspective”, David J. Goa [1/112=112]

Unsettling Colonial Modernity 2015, an interdisciplinary conference at the Uof A, April 2015.

David Goa served on the advisory committee.

13 - 15 November

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“Making Peace with the Land,” a Ronning Centre conference, Augustana Campus, Camrose.

Registration for the conference: 210.

Saturday

“Peace From Down Under”, Andrew Creed. [1.5/173=259.5]

“Healing Mind, Body, Land, Spirit”, James Makokis. [1.5/178=267]

“Greening Oil Country”, Dennis Cuku. [1.5/175=262.5]

“Youthful Visions for a Community Land Ethic”, Leah Johnson, Sarah McCrae, Ryan

Lindsay, Takota Coen. [1.5/172=258]

Sunday

“Solar Power in Alberta”, Randal Benson, workshop. [1.5/29=43.5

“Cree Culture, History and Ceremony”, Roy and Judy Louis, workshop. [1.5/32=48]

3 May 2016

“Gregory of Nyssa: Landscape as Revelation”, an invited lecture by David J. Goa, II

Uluslararasi Nevsehir Tarih ve Kulture Sempozyumu (2nd International Conference on the history

and culture of Nevsehir). [1/64=64]

20 May

“Deep Religion, the Antidote to the Diseases of Modernity”, an invited lecture by David J. Goa,

2nd International Symposium on “Religious Studies and Global Peace”, 2nd International Symposium on “Religious Studies and Global Peace”, Necmettin Erbakan University, Sarajevo, Bosna Hersek.

30 May

“Encounters with Hybridity: Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life”,

a paper by Catherine Caufield for the annual meeting of the Canadian Society for the Study of

Religion at the Congress of the Canadian Federation of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

University of Calgary, Calgary.

Ronning Centre Study Circles, Courses, Symposia

August – January 2016

Ethics in World Religions (SSC513), Saint Stephen’s College, reading course for David Faver

taught by David Goa.

August – January 2016

Special Topics in Diversity: Faith and Culture (SSC547), Saint Stephen’s College, reading course

for Wenda Salomons taught by David Goa.

David Goa is part of The King’s University teaching team. He has been teaching Chris Brazeau,

Edmonton Institution. Brazeau was transferred to a medium security prison in October.

February – March

13

“Special Topics in Diversity: Faith and Culture”, SSC547, Saint Stephen’s College course.

Course preparation covering issues of religious literacy associated with health and healing in

Aboriginal, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Sikh traditions. Offered in August 2016.

Distinguished Visiting Fellows & Ronning Fellows

The Ronning Centre Distinguished Visiting Fellows Endowment is supported through the

generous contributions of many of the Friends of the Ronning Centre.

11 September

“Politics & Planning in Cities of Conflict: The Case of Jerusalem”, Prof. Moshe Amirav, Hebrew

University, The King’s University. [1.5/18=27]

“The Role of Jerusalem: Religious Perspectives”, Prof. Moshe Amirav, Hebrew University,

Augustana campus, UofA. [1.5/24=36]

8 October

“Intelligent Humility”, Betty Spackman, The King’s University, Edmonton. [2/30=60]

13 January 2016

“No More Naked Public Square”, Ron Nikkel, President Emeritus, Prison Fellowship

International, Washington. The King’s University, Edmonton. [1.5/18=27]

14 January

“No More Naked Public Square”, Ron Nikkel, President Emeritus, Prison Fellowship

International, Washington. Augustana campus, UofA. [1.5/20=30]

22 January

“’God is Beautiful and Loves Beauty’: Fostering Religious Literary through the Arts”, Ali Asani,

Director, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Program and Professor, Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion

and Culture, Harvard University. Augustana campus, UofA. [1/27=27]

“ ‘God is Beautiful and Loves Beauty’: Fostering Religious Literary through the Arts”, Ali

Asani,. The King’s University. [1.5/29=40.5]

26 January

“Practicing ‘Decolonial Love’: Damages, Relations, Truth and Telling”, Dian Million, Professor,

American Indian Studies, University of Washington. Maskwacis Cultural College, Maskwacis.

“Practicing ‘Decolonial Love’: Damages, Relations, Truth and Telling”, Dian Million, Professor,

American Indian Studies, University of Washington. Wahkotowin Lodge, Augustana campus,

UofA.

3 February

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“’The Prayer of Faith will Save the Sick’: Health, Medicine, and Religion in Today’s World”,

Earle Waugh, Professor Emeritus and Director, Centre for Culture and Health, Family Medicine,

University of Alberta. [1.5/31=46.5]

8 March

“A Many Mottled Beast: Religion, Media, and the Public Square”, Michael Higgins, Vice

President and Professor, Religious Studies, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield Connecticut.

Augustana campus. [2/29=58]

9 March

“A Many Mottled Beast: Religion, Media, and the Public Square”, Michael Higgins, Vice

President and Professor, Religious Studies, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield Connecticut. Saint

Joseph’s College, north campus, UofA, Edmonton . [1.5/24=36]

15 March

“Nurturing Global Citizens: How Universities Can Develop, Enhance, and Refine Their

Learning-Abroad Programs”, Michel Desjardins, Associate Dean and professor, Religion and

Culture, Wilfrid Laurier University. Augustana campus. [1.5/15=22.5]

5 April

“Clearing the Plains, Clearing the Air: What We Can Do in Post-TRC Canada”, James Daschuk,

Professor of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina. Augustana campus.

[1.5/26=39]

11 April

“Faith Communities and the Common Good”, Joe Mihevc, Councillor, City of Toronto.

Augustana campus. [1.5/14=21]

12 April

“Friendship: The Horizon of Our Common Life”, John von Heyking, Professor, Political Science,

University of Lethbridge. Augustana campus. [1.2/18=27]

26 May

“Law, Religion, and Public Life: The Stories We Tell”, Pamela Klassen, Professor, Religion and

Anthropology, University of Toronto, and, Benjamin Berger, Professor of Law, Osgoode Hall,

York University, Toronto. [tba]

Ronning Centre Research and Documentation

4 March

“Religious Diversity in the Rural Community of Camrose, Alberta”, Catherine Caufield, with

David Goa and Joseph McMorrow. “Getting Results: Migration, Opportunities and Good

Governance”, National Metropolis Conference, Toronto.

September–continuous

15

Ongoing partnership with Cardus, Templeton Foundation and the Aga Khan Development

Network (Global Centre for Pluralism) for the project Symposium on Civic Virtue and Civil

Charters: Creating Respectful Communities in a Divided World project.

November 2010–continuous

“The Evangelical Church in Canada: Exploring its Tectonic Shifts,” a research and publication

project initiated with various partners and participants including: Canadian Evangelical

Theological Association (CETA), an association of professors, Margie Patrick, Joel Nikkel, Will

Van Arragon, The King’s University College. Potential participants: John McKay, MP, Ron Dart,

UBC, Frazer Valley, Jeffrey MacPherson, McMaster University, John Stackhouse, Regent, Dawit

Isaac, Edmonton.

November 2010–continuous

“The Liberal Protestant Church in Canada: Exploring its Gifts and Challenges,” a research and

publication project initiated with various partners and participants including: Dittmar Mündel,

Roger Hutchinson, Martin Garber-Conrad, Bob McKeon, Ingrid Doerschel.

30 November

Applied for a UARE-CSC (China Scholarship Council) for The Chester Ronning Papers project.

2 December

KIAS Dialogue Grant of $1,000 received for Turkey-Canada Partnership project.

19 January

Catherine Caufield applied for an eligibility exception to the Research Services Office of the

University of Alberta. Granted February 3; Associate Director can now apply for and hold

research funds on behalf of the Ronning Centre.

Addresses and Lectures

1 September

“The Gift and Challenge of the Ronning Centre’s Work”, David J. Goa, an invited lecture and

discussion with Bishop Telmor Sartison and group, Ronning House. [2/20=40]

22 September

“Theology of Inculturation of the Faith and its Relationship to the Oblate-Aboriginal Encounter

in Alberta, invited keynote, Catherine Caufield, Associate Director Ronning Centre, for the

inauguration of the Institute for Christian Studies and Culture, Concordia University. [1/70=70]

24 November

“Heretic, Why Islam Needs a Reformation: Does Ayaan Hirse Ali Have it Right?”, an invited

lecture, David J. Goa, Lendrum Mennonite Brethren Church, Edmonton. [1.5/24=36]

“Refugees, ISIS and Christian Responsibility”, an invited lecture, David J. Goa and Azim Jeraj,

Trinity Lutheran Church, Edmonton. [2.5/44=110]

16

10 January 2016

“A Christian Conversation with Swami Vivekananda”, David J. Goa, an invited lecture in the

symposium, Legacy of Swami Vivekananda, An Interfaith Dialogue, jointly sponsored with The

Hindu Society of Alberta, Edmonton. Additional lectures from a Vedanta, Hindu and Jain

perspective. This event was cosponsored by Ronning Centre. [2/147=294]

4 February

“Sola Fide/Gratia, In the Footsteps of Francis and the Sultan: A Model for Peacemaking”, a

forum of the Intercultural Dialogue Institute with David Goa and Ishak Yorganci held at Saint

Joseph’s College, UofA, Edmonton. [2/24=48]

9 March

“Revisiting the Doctrine of Justification by Grace Through Faith”, David J. Goa, Director, &

Stephen Martin, Professor, The King’s University and Ronning Centre Fellow. Lutheran/Roman

Catholic Study Group in preparation for “Reformation 500”, Providence Retreat Centre,

Edmonton. [2/17=34]

6 June

“A Meditation on Power”, David J. Goa invited to give the lecture at the AGM of Sahakarini

NGO, Camrose. [.5/30=15]

Publications

Caufield, Catherine. “Emancipatory Possibilities beyond Kyriarchy: A Mexican Woman's Story.”

Fieldwork in Religion. 10.2 (2015): 209–231.

Caufield, Catherine. “Narratives of Jesus: Hermeneutics and the Co-creation of Meaning.”

Bulletin for the Study of Religion. 44.3 (2015): 26–44.

Caufield, Catherine. “Exilio espiritual en Tierra adentro de Muñiz-Huberman.” Bulletin of

Hispanic Studies. 92.2 (2015): 185–197.

Caufield, Catherine. “Theology of Inculturation of the Faith and the Oblate-Aboriginal Encounter

in Alberta.” Canadian Journal of Scholarship and the Christian Faith. In press.

Caufield, Catherine. “Teaching Women in World Religions.” Teaching Theology and Religion.

In Press.

Caufield, Catherine. Shmiot Fugue: Neomysticism in the Voices of Three Jewish-Mexican

Women. In review.

Goa, David. “Foreward.” A Muslim Perspective on Christian Mysteries: The Incarnation, The

Crucifixion, by Reza Shah-Kazemi, Augustana. Augustana Distinguished Lectures, 2013.

Camrose, Alberta: The Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life,

2016.

17

Goa, David. “The Future of Religion.” An invited reflection by David J. Goa, New Trails,

University of Alumni magazine. Winter 2015: 44.

Goa, David. “Spatiul public si cultura amneziee.” Translated by Florin Tomoioag into Romanian

for Biserica Si Societatea, edited by Timoteo Seviciu and Arhiepiscopul Aradului (Editura

Arhiepiscopiei Aradului, Editurea Tiparnita, 2016). This essay was originally published in A

Regard for All Creation and titled, “The Public Square and the Culture of Amnesia.”

Goa, David, Nicholas Wickenden, Rebecca van Arragon, and Catherine Caufield. Chester

Ronning Centre Newsletter. Fall 2015.

A Muslim Perspective on Christian Mysteries: The Incarnation, The Crucifixion, by Reza Shah-

Kazemi, Augustana. Augustana Distinguished Lectures, 2013. Camrose, Alberta: The Chester

Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life, 2016.

University Service

David Goa is advisor to Hakan Gulerce, PhD candidate, George Washington University, is doing

a comparative study of the social teaching of the Muslim theologian Said Nursi and the Second

Vatican Council.

David Goa provided a Letter of Reference for the Integrated Dietetic Internship program,

University of Alberta for former student Sarah Jean-Noel; internship granted.

David Goa served on the Advisory Committee for Unsettling Colonial Modernity 2015, an

interdisciplinary conference at the Uof A, April 2015.

David Goa serves on the Editorial Board, Marife, the Turkish Journal of Religious Studies,

Mecmettin Erbakan University.

David Goa serves on the Editorial Advisory Board, Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses,

Canada’s leading journal of religious studies.

David Goa serves on the Advisory Board of Material Religion, The Journal of Objects, Art, and

Belief, an international journal, published by Berg in the United Kingdom.

David Goa serves on the editorial board of Katre, the International Journal of Said Nursi Studies,

published in Istanbul, Turkey.

Catherine Caufield spearheaded the formation of the Religious Studies and Theology Articulation

Committee with the Alberta Council of Admissions and Transfers, Alberta Education,

Postsecondary Division and sits as its Chair (Interim).

Catherine Caufield continues to serve as Editor of the international journal Religious Studies and

Theology.

18

Catherine Caufield coordinated the renewal of the Religious Studies and Theology working

group this past year.

Catherine Caufield continues to serve as a Member-at-Large of the Canadian Society for the

Study of Religion (CSSR).

Catherine Caufield, as a member of the executive of CSSR, worked with Canadian Theological

Society (CTS), Canadian Society for Biblical Studies (CSBS) and Canadian Society for Patristic

Studies (CSPS) to organize this year’s Joint Lecture for Congress.

Public Service & Media

September

“Frack-Tured, there are two sides to every story”, Business in Edmonton, article based on

interview with Hans Asfeldt on “Alberta Voices” and Spirit of the Land project.

19 October

Interview request for David Goa to comment on the Canadian election, Chicago Public Radio.

21 November

“Goa on the Green Pope”, Western Catholic Reporter, article on David Goa’s lecture on the papal

encyclical, “Our Common Home”.

17 February 2016

“A Better Way to Travel”, Eric Steele, in The Daglightale, quoted David Goa.

7 April

“Canada's small towns can make refugees feel at home”, Joseph McMorrow and Catherine

Caufield Edmonton Journal. A.10.